Sectional bookcase.



R. HATCH..

S ECTIO N AL BUUYKQASE,

(Application led 1 6' 1900.)

Patented lunav I2, |990.

2 Shee/hs-Sheet I.

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JTW/MW? No. 65|,5[5.- Patented lune I2, |900.

R. HATCH.

SECTIONAL BOOKCASE.

(Application filed Mar. 16, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Shees-Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES .PATENT nricn.

REUBEN HATCH, or GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

SECTIONAL BOOKCASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 651,505, dated June 12, 1900.

Application filed March 16, 1900. Serial No. 8,955. (No modell T0 @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN HATCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sectional Bookcases, of which the following is a specification.l

In United States yPatent No. 557,736 to Wernicke and Burr, dated April 7, 1396, is shown and described a bookcase made up of sections which are adapted to be placed one upon the other and secured together to form a completed case with a single tier of shelves and to be placed side by side and secured one to the other to form a completed case with a plurality of vertical rows or tiers of shelves. One of the objections to this case is the fact that when the sections are placed side by side to form a plurality of tiers the partition is double, the same consisting of the abutting sides of the adjacent sections.

My invention is designed as an improvevment upon the case shown in the patent referred to, the object of the same being to overcome the objection above notedl by prof viding means whereby Athe sides of one vertical row of sections may be caused to merge into or overlap the sides of the adjacent row of sections to produce a dividing-partition between the vertical rows of a single thickness.

The details of the invention will be fully set forth hereinafter, and the novel features thereof will be pointed out in the claims.`

In the drawings forming part of this speci-l cation, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a sectional bookcase constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 isa horizontal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section. Fig. 4 isa perspective view of one of the sections of which the case is made up. Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views of the end pieces employed, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a plurality of these sections con-s nected one with the other.

Each section 1 of the case is made up of a back piece 2 and a bottom consisting of the slats 3 and 4, parallel and separated from each other by a space 5 and a covering-strip 6, of thin veneering or other like material, connectingthe slats 3 and 4 and bridging the space 5 between said slats. One end of the slat 3 is formed with a projecting lug 7 and the corresponding end of the slat 4 is formedl with a similar lug 8. The opposite ends of each of the slats 7 Land 8 are formed with notches or cut-away portions 9 t0 receive the lugs 7 and Sof an adjacent part. Across the top of each section 1 of the case is a transverse slat 10, adapted to it within the space 5 between the slats 3 and 4 of the I"superimposed section. Connecting one end of the slat 10 with the bottom of the section is a vertical end slat 11, the side edges of which converge from the bottom upwardly, as clearly shown. Said slat l1 is also dovetailin crosssection. At the end of the section opposite the slat 1.1 are two vertical end slats 12 13,

secured to the bottom of the section and to the slat 10 and separated from each other by a space 14, which corresponds in shape with the slat 11 at the opposite end of the section. The rear edge of the slat 12 abuts against and is secured to theback piece 2, and the front edge of the slat 13 terminates adjacent to the front edge of the bottom slat 8 and is preferably rounded, as shown at 15. The edgesof the slats 12 and 13, between which the space 14 is located, are inclined so as to conform to the dovetail cross-sectional shape of the slat 11.

The end pieces 16 and 17 (represented in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings) are employed to close and finish off the ends of the case as a whole. The end piece 16 iits upon `one end of the casel and the end piece 17 upon the opposite end. The former is provided with a central wedge-shaped rib 18, tapering from ,its lower end upwardly, dovetail in cross-section, and corresponding in shape and dimensions with the space 14 between the strips 12 and 13 of the section 1. To said rib is secured a rectangular strip 19 of veneering or other then material, the same having the lugs 20 and 21 at its lower corners corresponding with the lugs 7 and 8 on the slats 3 and 4 and adapted to iit within the notches or cut-away portions 9 on said slats 3 and 4. The front edge of the strip 19 is further provided with a fin- IOO formed with two ribs 23 and 24 of the same shape as the slats 12 and 13 on the section 1 and connected by a rectangular strip 25 of veneering or other thin material. The said ribs 23 and 24. are separated from each other, so as to provide a wedge-shaped channel or space 26, tapering from the lower end of the end piece 17 upwardly, wedge shape in crosssection, and corresponding in size and contour with the end slat 11 of the section 1. The corners of the slats 23 and 24 are cutaway or notched, as shown at 27 and 2S, correspondind to the cut-away or notched portions 9 of the slats 3 and 4 and adapted to receive the lugs 7 and S on said slats 3 and 4.

From the foregoing description it is thought that the means of assembling or connecting up the parts of a bookcase `constructed according to my invention will be readily understood. Brieiy stated, however, it is as follows: To form a case consisting of a single vertical tier of sections 1, the sections are superimposed one upon the other, with the upper slat l0 of one section fitting within the space 5 between the lower slats 3 and 4C of the next upper section. The end pieces 16 and 17 are applied to the proper sections as they are put in place by sliding the rib 18 into the space 14 at one end and the rib 1l in the space or channel 26 at the opposite end, the lugs 20 and 21 and 7 and 8 tting within the corresponding notches 9, 217, and 28 on the coperating parts. When built up to the proper height, a suitable top piece or molding may be applied. When thus assembled, the rounded front edges 15 of the slats 13 fit within the groove or channel in the inner surface of the molding or pilaster 22 of the end piece 16 and warping of the strip 19, forming part of said end piece, is prevented. At the same time a finish is produced in the vertical partitions at the end ot' the case. A similar iinishingpilaster 29, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, is formed on the front edge of the rib 2a of the end piece 17.

When it is desired to build up a case consisting of a plurality of vertical tiers of sections arranged side by side, the rib 11of each section in one tier is caused to fit within the space 111 between the slats 12 and 13 of the adjacent section of the next tier. By reason of the fact that the ribs 11 are wedge-shaped in form,.are dovetail in cross-section, and are of thesame shape as the spaces in which they fit an interlocking of the adjacent horizontal sections of the case is caused and but a single vertical partition separating the two adjacent vertical tiers appears. Any number of vertical rows or tiers of sections may thus be connected up, and the end pieces 16 and 17 will be `necessary only at the outer ends of the outer sections, the same being applied as above described.

It will be seen that by my construction a case of any number of vertical or transverse rows of sections may be quickly and readily formed the different sections of which are securely connected one to the other and a case which shows no indication whatever of being made up of separable parts. Furthermore, an economy is effected in that a saving of material in the construction of the side or end pieces for each section is made, to say nothing of the labor required in finishing the side or end pieces of the different sections. The slats 11, 12, and 13 may all be of a rough or cornparatively-cheap material, as none of these parts are exposed when the case is in its completed condition. Furthermore, the metallic straps for concealing the joints between the different sections are dispensed with, and a saving in the cost of construction is effected in this also.

It will be noted that the inner side edges of the lugs 7 and 8 and 2O and 21 are inclined to correspond with the inclined inner walls of the notches 9, 27, and 28. When, therefore, the parts of the case are assembled, the said lugs will interlock with the parts containing the notches in which said lugs fit. i

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A bookcase made up of a plurality of separable sections arranged side by side, the vertical partition dividing said sections being of a single thickness of material and made in parts constructed to interlock one with the other.

2. A bookcase made up of a plurality of separable sections arranged side by side, the end of one section overlapping that of the adjacent section to form a vertical partition of a single thickness of material and constructed to interlock therewith to prevent independent lateral movement of said sections.

3. A bookcase made up of a pluralityof separable sections arranged side by side, the end of one section overlapping that of the adjacent section, and interlocking therewith, as and for the purpose set forth.

4c. A bookcase made up of a plurality of separable sections arranged side by side, the end of one section overlapping the end of the adjacent section to form a vertical partition of a single thickness of material and interlocking therewith, and end pieces detachably connected to the exposed endsof said sections.

5. A bookcase made up of a plurality of sepa-` rable sections, one end ofeach of said sections having a vertical slat dovetail in cross-section, and the other end of said section having a pluralityof vertical slats separated from each other to form a space dovetail in crosssection, and correlative parts adapted to receive said dovetailed slat and to be received by said dovetailed space.

6. A bookcase made up of a plurality of separable sections, one end of each of said sections having a vertical Wedge-shaped slat dovetail in cross-section and the other having a plurality of slats separated from each other by a wedge-shaped space dovetail in cross-section,

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the said Wedge-shaped Slat and space tapering from the bottom of the section to the top, and correlative parts adapted to receive said dovetailed slat and to be received by said dovetailed space.

'7. A bookcase made up of a plurality of separable sections, one end of each of said sections having a plurality of vertical slats separated by a space dovetail in cross-section, an end piece for each of said sections consisting of a strip of thin material, a rib thereon dovetail in cross-section adapted to be inserted into said space, and a strip of molding secured to the front edge of said end piece extending inwardly therefrom and having a channel or groove on its inner surface adapted to receive the front edge of one of the slats on said section.

S. A bookcase made up of a plurality of separable sections, one end of each of said sections having a vertical slat dovetail in cross-section,and having projecting lugs provided with inclined Walls, and the other end of each of said sections having a plurality of Vertical slats separated from each other to form a space dovetail in cross-section and having notches or cut-away portions provided with inclined Walls, and correlative parts adapted to receive said dovetailed slat and lugs and to be received by said dovetailed space and notches.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

. REUBEN HATCH.

Witnesses:

WM. M. STOCKBRIDGE, GEO. W. REA. 

